Power supply for image reproducing tubes



Sept. 18, 1951 J. M. CAGE POWER SUPPLY FOR IMAGE REPRODUCING TUBES Filed Nov. 29. 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Kuh-#1% 4 I ci MTORNEYS INVENTOR Jb/.M/Mnaf Sept- 18 1951 J. M. CAGE 2,568,485

POWER SUPPLY FOR IMAGE REPRoDucING 'rusas Filed Nov. 29. 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 T'lc -2.

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E l VENTOR 60 T lq- Jbwv M. 606e' Patented Sept. 18,y 1951 John M. Cage, Montclair, N. J., assigner to Cage Projects,- Inc., Union City, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application November 29, 1947, serial No. 788,818

7 Claims.

This -invention relates to electronic circuits and is particularly useful for electron-optical applications such as' television equipment and other purposes.

One of the problems presently encountered in television equipment and particularly where projection type tubes are used, is the generation of high electron beam accelerating voltages. Conventional practice where voltages of the ordervof 20,000 to 30,000 volts and even higher areNrequired, is to use a voltage multiplier-rectifier:circuit powered by a radio frequency oscillator. In these circuits two or more rectifier tubes are used to rectify and step up or multiply voltage generated by a radio frequency oscillator. Since the rectifier tubes operate at different potentials it has been the practice to my knowledge to use tubes having low filament power requirements and heat them by the radio frequency currents flowing through the circuits associated with sev- ,eral tubes in the multiplier circuit.

The foregoing procedure has several disadvantages, namely, that special low power rectifier tubes are required, power is simultaneously applied to the plate and filament of each tube thereby greatly impairing itslife, and the radio frequency circuits for heating each tube are critical and must be carefully tuned to the oscillator frequency for optimum results.

I have also found that this conventional procedure also introduces a certain amount of picture distortion when used with image reproducing tubes because of the radio frequency signal. It has therefore been customary to take elaborate precautions to shield the oscillator and multiplier, filter the output voltage, and adjust the frequency of the oscillator whereby minimum interference with the television receiver will result.

With my invention I have been able to overcome these difiiculties encountered in conventional multiplier type power circuits and greatly improve their stability and dependability and lengthen the life of the rectifier tubes.

For a` better understanding of the invention and its objects, reference may be had to the' :Iol-

lowing description and drawings forming part of the application.

In the drawingsv Fig. l'is a diagrammatic illustration of one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 'is a diagrammatic view of certain ele- Aments of the invention;

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are side, plan and bottom diagrammatic views, respectively, more particularly illustrating certain features of the invention;

and

Fig. 6 is another embodiment thereof.

As an example of one application of my invention I have illustrated in Fig. 1 a block diagram of a television receiver and a circuit diagram of the high voltage power circuit for the limage reproducing tube which embodies the principle of.' the invention. The receiver is of the conventional type and a detailed description of each component is not deemed necessary. It includes a receivingantenna I0, aradio frequency amplifier II and a first detector I2 and oscillator I3. The output signal obtained from the detector I2 is divided into two channels, one feeding the sound channel having an intermediate frequency amplifier I4, a limiter I5, discriminator I6, audio amplifier I1 and loud speaker S, and the other feeding the video -channel including an intermediate 'frequency amplifler I8, a video detector I9 anda video amplifier and direct current restorer 20. l The output of the restorer 20 connects turn are connected with the tube 26 to cause thev electron beam to scan the face of the tube in synchronism with beam in the image pickup tube at the television broadcast station which records or televises the original object.

In addition to applying signals to the image reproducing tube 26, it is necessary to supply other voltages for energizing the filament, focusn ing the electron beam and accelerating the beam so that the electrons will strike the screen at the desired velocity. This last mentioned accelerating voltage is usually of the order of many thousands of volts and in some instances may be in the range of 30,000 volts and even higher. In Fig. l this voltage is produced by a radio frequency powered supply having a radio frequency that value.

I have found that with the application of exl tremely high voltages'of the order generated by v resistance 23', which may be of the order of 200 megohms when voltages upwards of 50 kilovolts are used, it is possible to obtain increased picture brightness` with substantially lower beam currents than are customary in conventional` practice as I know it. These reduced beam currents also provide improved picture contrast and-definition since the beam can be focused to produce a much smaller spot than would otherwise be y obtainable with larger currents.

The operation of voltage multiplier-rectifier circuits of the type shown at 23 in Fig. 1 is discussed in my copending application for U. S.

patent, Serial No. 777,955, and entitled Television." Briefly, however, it includes an oscillator tube 30 in circuit with windings 33 and3l of the radio frequency transformer 3|. Other elements in the oscillator circuit include the gridleakv and condenser 35 and 33, a plate battery or equivalent voltage supply 31. and means for heating the filament of the'tube 30, the latter having `been omitted to simplifythe drawing.

The oscillator voltage developed across the winding 33 of the transformer 3i is dependent on the volta-ge applied to` tube 30 by the battery 31. As an example, this developed voltage may be of the order of 300 volts. 'I'he transformer 33 may step up this voltage as much as thirty times to produce` a vvoltage across the winding 33 of the order of 9.000 volts.

of the tubes. Moreover, special low filament current tubes had to be employed because of the limited radio frequency power available with the use of reasonablysized components such as transformer Il and the oscillator tube 33, critical adjustment of each resonant circuit for heating the tubes was required which necessitated fairly stableoscillator circuits and internal capacities of the rectifier tubes themselves. and elaborate precautions to prevent interference with the television receiver had to be taken.

I have found that these difficulties can be overcome by providing means whereby the tube filaments can beheaied from a relatively low frequencyjsource such as 60 cycles, 400 cyclesvand even higher frequencies and maintain the necessary insulation between each filament so that very high voltages can be developed. In this way the voltage on the filament of each tube is completely independent of the radio frequency power source and tubes having relatively high filament currents can be employed. Moreover,

lit is possible with my system to heat the laments before the application of plate voltage thereby prolonging .the life of the tube. With this new circuit the practical limit of high voltage that canbe generated is increased since all of the radio frequency power can be used for at- 'I'he multiplier-rectifier circuit includes in this y .embodiment five rectifier tubes` 33 to I3 inclusive c and nine condensers 4l to Il inclusive. In the operation of this circuit, condenser 44 is charged to a voltage eoual to the voltage appearing across winding 30 while each of the remaining pairs of series connected condensers are charged to twice In the illustrated circuit the high voltage is produced between ground (the lower side of winding 3l) and the filament of the ylast tube 43. The charge on each of the condensers M, 43 and 43 determines the output voltage. Forexample, let it be assumed that the winding 33 delivers 9,000 volts, thenvthe sum oi' `a 9,000 volt charge on( condenser u ,and an 18,000 volt charge on condensers 48 and 43 would equai the ,output voltage or 45,000 volts. VSince the voltage is actually multiplied five times, an ar rangement or circuit which includes five' tubes is commonly termed a quintupler.

taining the high voltage without having to divert part for heating the tubes.

In the power circuit shown in Fig. 1. each tube 39, 4|), etc., is heated in the same manner and vtherefore only the circuit associated tube 39 will -be described. This circuit includes a magnetic 35 field 4generating coil 50 connected with an alter# nating current source. Spaced from the coil 50 is a second 'coil 5I connected in parallel with the filament 39' by leads. and 49'. The coil 5I is insulated from ground and from the coil 50 s0 that operating potentials ofthe order previously discussed can be applied therebetween without danger of breakdown. The magnetic field generated by coil 50 is intercepted by the coil 5I and the voltage induced therein is sufficient to heat the mament.

Fig. 2 illustrates one method of employing my invention to obtain very high voltage insulation.

There the magnetic field generating coil 50 is placed beneath a'suitable thickness of dielectric material Il and 'preferably consists of an E- shaped iron core 52 having a coil 53 wound onv the center leg 52' thereof. The coil-is connected with a suitable A. C. source and generates a strong magnetic field penetrating the dielectric. The filament heating coil 5i is positioned on the Y top side of the dielectric 54 and may include a A straight iron corey 55 surrounded by the coil 5B.

From the foregoing description of the power l supply 23 it is evident that the filaments 39'. l0',

n etc. of tubes 39, 40 etc. operate at different potential levels. For instance, filament 33 is at a potential level of 9,000 volts above ground, fila- A y ment Il is Vat 27,000 volts, and filament 43 is at 45,000 volts.l Prior methods of heating filaments of tubes in circuits of this type included a tuned 'l radio frequency circuit energized byfthey radio frequency current flowing through the tube. This arrangementof course results in the application' I of voltage to the plates of the rectifier tubes simultaneously with the application'ofthe filament voltage and substantially shortens the life 7'5v ments.

This coil is preferably positionedwith its core vertically disposed over the central leg 52' of the E-shaped core 52, since the greatest transfer of powerk will thereby obtain. The thickness of the dielectric 5l is governed by the desired insulation requiredand of course the character of the dielectric material. With the use'of a material 1 formed of fused mica and glass and having a thicknessof about one-half inch, I have been able to apply potential difl'erences between each generator and its associated filament heating coil of as high as,100,000 volts without danger of arc over;r

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 illustrate one method of constructing a high voltage power supply ofthe type shownin Fig. 1 embodying my invention. Like numbers in each of these figures denote like ele- Briefly, this supply includes a box-like base 88 of wood or other similar inexpensive non-convducting material and having a suitable grooved upper edge for the reception of a relatively thick dielectric sheet or panel 62. This sheet in fragmentary form in Fig. 2 was designated by the numeral 54. Within the base 68 five magnetic iield generating coils 50 are positioned in the manner illustrated and secured to the base by suitable means such as the lugs 64 and 6l and wood screws 68. By fastening the coils 50 in this manner, the necessity for inserting screws into cal partitions separate the individual tubes and ends of each' compartment are closed by longitudinal partitions 12 (Fig. 4). Between each of the partition members 10 are small vertical walls 14 having sockets formed therein for reception of the tube prongs 'I6 of the tubes 38, 40, etc. The condensers 44 to 48 inclusive are arranged in two series or banksI one consisting of four condensers 45-45 and 41-41 connected in series by suitable tubular connecting pieces 18. and the other consisting of ve condensers 44, 48-46 and 48-48 connected in a similar manner by tubular pieces 80. These two banks are supported above and to each side of the row of tubes by slots 82 and 84 in partition 10.

. To energize the tube filaments, a coil 5I having a vertically disposed iron core is mounted in any suitable manner at the base of each tube with its core preferably directly above the center leg of the core of its associated coil '50 as shown in Fig.`2. The terminals of each of these coils 88 and 88 of the rectifier-multiplier unit. This will greatly prolong the rectier tube life.

I have also found with my invention that since the tubes 38 to 43 inclusive are heated by a very low frequency voltage such as one having a frequency of 60 cycles per second rather than by radio frequency power when the circuit is used with a television reproducing tube such as the tube 28 (Fig. 1),.the reproduced image is relatively free'from distortion produced by the generation and use of radio frequency power for developing the high accelerating voltage for the tube. This is illustrated in Fig. 6 which shows an image projection tube 28'connected with a voltage multiplier power supply 28 embodying my invention. In this application a suitable objective lens system |00 is employed to focus the image on the screen IUI. Since the image formed on the face of the projection tube 26 is less distorted by reason ofthe substantial elimination of unwanted radio frequency signals from the power supply, it is possible to project images on screens as large as six feet by eight feet and even larger, without incurring noticeable distortion from that source. Moreover, since the energy used to heat the filaments of the rectifier multiplier tubes is independent of the oscillator circuit, the oscillais directly connected with the filament prongs of its associated tube and are indicated at the base of tube 39 by the numerals 49 and 49', the other tubes being similarly connected.

The remaining connections between the several condensers and the tubes are clear from th'e drawings and a description thereof is not deemed necessary. s

To operate the circuit, the terminals of the winding 38 of transformer 3| are connected with the leads 86 and 88 leading from the 'left side of the condenser banks. Assuming an R. F. voltage of 9,000 volts across'these leads and a suitable A. C. voltage applied to-coils 58, a voltage of 45,000 volts will be developed between the output terminal 90 and the ground wire 88.

vI have found that with the above arrangement I have been able to apply a voltage of as high as 20,000 volts between the leads 88 and 88 and develop output rectified voltages of as high as 100,000 volts. y

Because the filaments of the tubes are independent oi' the R. F. supply voltage, as far as power requirements are concerned, considerably less power is required from the oscillator tube 30 and transformer 3l (Fig. 1). Moreover, the oscillator tube 30 of an indirectly heated type and the rectifier tubes 39-43 of directly heated type,

ii' power is applied to both simultaneously, the tubes 39--43 will be fully heated and ready to operate before the tube 30 will warm up and generate radio frequency power across the terminals tor can be quickly and easily tuned to any desired. operating frequency for optimum image lreproduction without the necessity of returning the filaments veach time a slight frequency change is made.

It is also evident that with my invention tubes having relatively high filament power requirements can be -employed without affecting the radio frequency oscillator or undulyloading it.

Since tubes of this character usually are morev rugged and dependable than the special low drain tubes used in conventional multiplier circuits, greater stability and dependability is attained. Since I have been able to reduce the R. F. power requirements of the circuit and have also eliminated many special components, this increased stability and dependability can be attained at a substantially lower cost. i

What is claimed is:

1. A radio frequency powered voltage multileast one magnetic field generating coil dis.

posed on the other side of said panel, said last mentioned coil being connected with a relatively low frequency alternating current source whereby the field generated thereby induces sufficient voltage in each filament coil to heat the filaments of said tubes independently of the radio frequency oscillator. f

. 2. A radio frequency powered multiplier-rectiler circuit according to claim 1 wherein the magnetic eld generating coil is energized by an alternating current having a frequency of about 60 cycles per second.

3. A radio frequency powered voltage multiplier-rectifier circuit comprising a dielectric panel having at least two rectifier tubes mounted transversely thereof with each successive tube asoman inverted and connected to form a multiplier circuit, Lan iron core coil mounted at the base ot `'each tube with its terminals connected to the ,gltube filament. and at least one magnetic neld i generating coil disposed on the other side of said y panel, said last mentioned coil being connected to generate a magnetic field and thereby induce sumclent voltage in each filament coil to indey pendently heat the filament of each tube. 3

4. In a multiplier-rectifier circuit for furnishing high voltage to an image reproducing tube,

fthe combination of at least two rectifier tubes connected in circuit across aradio frequency voltage supply to rectifyand multiply the radio frequency voltage and an individual coil including an open-ended core'for said coil connected with. the filament o! each tube, means spaced from saidv coils for generating any alternatingr` current field in the vicinity of said coils and a dielectric barrier separating said coils from said field generating means.

n 5. In a multiplier-rectifier circuit for Iurnishing high voltage to Van image reproducing tube.

the combination of at least two rectifier tubes connected in circuit across a radio frequency voltage supply to rectify and multiply the radio frequency voltage and an individual single windingrcoil including an open-ended core for said coil connected with the iilament of each tube,

means spaced lfrom said coils for generating an alternating current ileld in the vicinity oi said coils and a dielectric barrier separating said coils from said iield generating means.

. 6. A power supply comprising a closure of dielectric material formed withat least two individual compartsments, voltage multiplying stages in each compartment, each including at least one electron tube and means for heating the lila.-

ments of said tubes including an electromagnetic neld generator external to said closure, and :means within said closure connected with the nlaments and responsive to said field to produce filament heating currents.

'7. Apower supply comprising a hollow base member having electromagnetic iield generating means therein, dielectric means enclosing said base member, an upper housing of dielectric material, at least two interconnected voltage multiplying stages in said upper housing, each stage lincluding at least one tube and means individual to each tube andv responsive to said field ior heat'- ing the illament of its associated tube.

- JOHN M. CAGE.

REFERENCES CITED I The following references are of record in the tile of this patent:

UNITED sTATEs PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES Tv Hv nr' supplies, RCA Review. March 1947, vol. 8, #1. page 55. i 

